Processes for the chemical modification of inorganic aerogels
US6004436A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 16, 1996 |
| Grant date | Dec 21, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 16, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/6428
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A process is described to modify the chemical structure of an aerogel under conditions which inhibit plasma formation within the aerogel pores, which process includes; (a) providing an aerogel with a pore size of less than 0.1.mu.; (b) exposing the initial aerogel to at least one gas selected from the group consisting of reducing gas, oxidizing gas, noble gas and combinations thereof, with the proviso that at least one reducing gas or one oxidizing gas is present; and (c) irradiating the combination of step (b) while maintaining the temperature to preserve the structural composition of the aerogel at a pressure of between about 0.1 and 54 Torr for between and about 5 and 960 minutes. This process produces a modified aerogel wherein the pore size does not allow for plasma formation within the pore. Chemical reactions occur within the pores of the aerogel of a nonplasma nature. These modified aerogels have a number of uses, including catalysts, ceramics, composites, chemical sensors, LED's and the like.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.